To Florus 1.70
To gather up what we have established: I did not deal fraudulently with your words, and you produced nothing you could cover with even a faint appearance of piety, much less prove by scriptural testimony. The apostle did not mean what you think. Nor was the condition of sexual union in paradise different from what now occurs in marriages. God has made abundantly clear that he established marriage, both by the constitution of the sexes and the character of their bodily members, and by his repeated blessing (compare Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 9:1). Once these points are settled, it is clear that all whom you deceive deserve anger more than mercy. At your prompting they defame birth to excuse the crimes they commit by an evil will, rather than amend their conduct (Genesis 1:27–28) (Genesis 9:1) (Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 9:1).
Latin
Ut igitur quod egimus colligatur, nec ego dictis tuis fraudem intuli, nec tu attulisti aliquid, quod vel dilutiore pietatis colore perfunderes, nedum Scripturis testibus approbares. Nec hoc quod tu putas, intellexit Apostolus; nec alia prorsus in paradiso fuit conditio commixtionis, quam qualis nunc in coniugiis agitur quae a se instituta Deus, tam ipsorum conditione sexuum et qualitate membrorum, quam frequentata benedictione perdocuit. Quibus absolutis claret, cunctos qui a te decipiuntur, ira esse quam misericordia digniores, quoniam in excusationem criminum suorum, quae mala voluntate committunt, te auctore infamant nativitatem, ne corrigant actionem.
About this text
Julian’s six preserved books to Florus, quoted section by section in Augustine’s unfinished reply. Augustine’s refutations are omitted. Latin of Julian’s words is on each section.
Julian’s own books do not survive as a separate manuscript. English follows his words as Augustine quotes them in the Unfinished Work Against Julian. Augustine’s replies are omitted. We do not restore a Julian text independent of Augustine.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Unfinished Work Against Julian (Latin · Julian’s words as quoted, Books 1–6)
- Checked print Augustinus.it Latin of the Unfinished Work (Latin · Same work)
- Checked print Migne PL 45 (Latin · Hard cases)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.